


Towers Full of Sky

by Aariah



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Character Death, I'll add more tags as I get there, Lifebonds, M/M, Memory Loss, Slow Build, and sidon's got a lot of growing up to do., in which link and zelda remember each incarnation to some extent.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-03-29 13:33:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13928157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aariah/pseuds/Aariah
Summary: In which a prince of water and a knight of light fall.And two Princesses do what they must.The storm looms





	1. Ripples in the Water

 

There are stories old enough to have kissed time on the cheek as it came into existence. Older even than the Princess and her chosen Knight these things took hold in the minds of the young and romantic. Some love stories are meant to shake the very foundations of nations, and some love stories are destined by reality itself. 

   Lifebonds, they called them. Soulmates decided by a certain combination of the unknown. Perhaps one in a million have a potential lifebond. The young and romantic held onto the idea of a lifebond secretly, against the heart lest they be called fanciful for the wishing.

   Perhaps that was a good thing. Lifebonds were like that, a fanciful tragic thing.

 

* * *

 

 The silence had been with him for as long as he could remember. Sinking into his soul and choking the words he might try to coax from vocal chords. The silence was easier, following Princess Zelda around. It was easier than the gossip of the nobility, the servants. Everything.

  It was easier than trying to confront, to defend in ways he was not trained. It was easier to embrace than the arms of a gruff father and mother who wept too easily for the silence encompassing her son's being. It was funny how more at home a sword felt in the hands compared to his mother's arms. 

 It was easier than reacting to a Princess with too much on her plate. Link sympathized with Zelda, for all that she pushed others away. Politics in Hyrule were interesting to say the least, they stood at the precipice of disaster and it felt like Zelda and Link were the only ones who could see as much.

  Perhaps this is what a curse felt like. Because a glance between them told the tale of endless reincarnations Zelda thinks they shouldn't be able to remember. Or well, it wasn't quite remembering. It was the feeling of a blade in his hand when he was six and automatically knowing what to do, it was muscles that both remembered and were too weak to execute attacks. 

  Remembering was Zelda praying to Hylia, praying to whoever would listen for her powers to be set free. Remembering was never once having to try to explain why the words wouldn't come out verbally, why he relied on flying hands and expressions to make himself understood.

    Remembering was feeling older than your 20 years and taller than 5 foot 3. Remembering was much like standing at the edge of eternity and knowing with one wrong move everything would collapse on the other side. Remembering was knowing what eternity looked like in the first place.

   Link thinks privately that's why part of him welcomes whatever comes next. Just to make his life more interesting. 

   "There is no use, the storm will come and these fools will be destroyed in their lack of listening." Zelda murmers, Link had to agree with her.

 They were currently on their way out from another council session, Zelda storming ahead- all fury and frustration. She was only 17 but was under the impression that the world rested on their shoulders and theirs alone. No accounting for the Goddess, no accounting for the King. 

 "Do they think I've no brain? I've studied the texts, we need this technology if we are to think of even succeeding, and what was that about other races other than the handful we already have established alliances? We have to find them if they still live and enlist them!"  

  There was nothing Link would dare even think of signing in return. Zelda was a princess, she could afford the court knowing what she thought. Link was merely her champion, one wrong move and his entire family would be in disgrace. The village where he was born would be in disgrace, no- opinions were something he kept to himself out of desperation not to screw up. 

  The Master Sword was heavy on his back. 

 

She'd weedled and weedled, and the farthest her father would allow her with her guards was a town on the edge of the wetlands. Link from there would proceed on his own. 

 Link came to love the quiet, the ripples of water and the occasional bird's song. He enjoyed the lack of expectations put on him, a single person traveling through to where ancient tomes had said a lost race resided. The real question was how did one become lost like that in the first place. 

  Did some past king step on too many toes and cause them to withdraw? Or did they suffer tragedy of their own. Perhaps they were simply as a whole finished with petty politics that the rest of the continent danced through to maintain what they had. Link couldn't blame them if that had been the case.

    The wetlands gave way to solid ground, and rain. The rain was relentless, soaking Link down to the skin, even his generally pretty water resistant boots were sodden. At least the path seemed to be mostly stone, the farther in he got. Which strictly speaking was odd considering no one traveled this way anymore. If the weather was any indication Link could imagine why that happened.

    It was only when he crossed a bridge over a river that he started feeling the eyes on his back. 

 And it was only when he crossed the bridge did he notice a huge tower in the distance, along with what looked like bokoblins. His hands itched for his sword, it'd been far too long since he'd fought a proper battle. Also, generally speaking high spaces appealed to Link, he enjoyed maintaining the illusion that he wasn't the shortest fully grown person he knew. Some twelve year olds were taller than him. 

  That's how he ended up fighting his way up the route to the tower, in the rain and after a while he actually found himself laughing. He didn't know he had needed this, the utter lack of expectations looming directly over his shoulder and a clean fight.

  Wait, not necessarily clean. The bokoblins didn't stand a chance.

The tower was a beautiful thing, almost like spun crystal with a staircase going around the outside. If he had to maintain a guess Link would say at one point it'd been a watchtower. Now it was overrun with bokoblins and moblins. Which was an easy enough problem to solve.

  The rain would wash away the blood.

He hadn't realized it had gone so high up, he hadn't realized till he was at the top. The top of the tower, above the topmost room that the chief moblin had made his own was situated above the clouds. The air was thin and cold. Far beyond he could see what looked like a city, and perhaps the sea. 

 It sent an ache down his chest, the sight of the ocean being a luxury beyond what he typically could afford. He sits there, above the clouds with his feet hanging below for what seems like hours. There was something about this particular place that held him in a state of peace. 

 Like perhaps, just perhaps he'd make it past the looming disaster alive. Zelda would have known who had built this tower, or well, she would have known soon after encountering it. 

 "Pardon the entrance, but are you a Hylian?" The voice breaks Link from his thoughts, and has him on his feet with his sword in hand in a matter of moments.

 Seeing that the tall figure didn't actually have a weapon on him, and the fact that he looked a tad sheepish at actually managing to startle Link (which wasn't actually that hard come to think) Link stows his sword away. 'Yes'

 Oh please Hylia, let him understand sign language! 

"Oh wonderful! I must thank you for retaking the tower. We've been looking for a Hylian but travel much farther than the wetlands is rather difficult for my people." Each word tumbles out faster than the next in his excitement. 

 "Oh! But i'm getting ahead of myself. I'm Prince Sidon of the Zora." Sidon says with a courtly bow. "Now, what is your name, I was watching you from below and I really must say that was stunning!"

 Link nods, sort of feeling like he had gotten struck by lightning for a second time. (He had scars to prove the first.) 'L I N K' 

"Link. Hm... Somehow that sounds familiar. But don't get me wrong, it is a very good name. Now Link, these parts are rather dangerous, especially so after dark. If you'd like we have a guard station fairly close and we can discuss matters there."

   Link could only nod blankly, some small part of his mind registering yes, Prince Sidon was most certainly correct on all accounts but also good Hylia was the Zora tall. 

After sitting down to dinner (which was fished, graciously cooked for their Hylian guest.) Link and Sidon sit down to discuss what exactly they were to do next. 

  "Link, I must say that was quite amazing how you took the tower, I didn't quite believe my eyes at first you know. Such a small being, cutting through so many enemies? Simply inspiring! You must be a great champion of your people! It was simply masterful!" Sidon had been going on for the past 10 minutes or so, recounting to all the guards and then the Zora serving the meal what had happened.

 Link was probably the most interesting shade of red ever seen. He couldn't say for sure, but given how his face was burning it must be true. Each time Prince Sidon told the tale, which was each time an unfamiliar face passed the table, which was surprisingly frequent based off the size of the place- his compliments and exaggeration of Link's good deeds grew more and more over the top.

 'Uh, well yes I guess? I'm the Princess Zelda's personal Champion. If you give me four days I can fetch her for negotiations?' Fingers flying Link wills his face to cool, knowing all the while that it would probably take days for the flush to fully go away. He really, really wasn't used to people paying quite so much attention to him.

 "Hm, That would be wonderful actually. As I had earlier mentioned we are just returning to our homeland after a time away. Establishing diplomatic relationships would be ideal.” 

 

He left before dawn, hard as was to tell because it was still raining. Did it ever stop raining here, maybe the Zora were driven away by this seemingly endless torrent. Mainly, he was avoiding being sent off by the Prince. How does one fit so much praise into a single conversation? 

 He had just gotten his face back to its normal color, he wasn’t about to undertake that battle when there was an expectant Princess on the other side. 

  “Link, what are these people like? The texts say they live beneath water, is this true?” Zelda asks. She's excited, eyes all fire and hope. 

 ‘Warm. They're very…’ his hands stumble, ‘Warm. And probably.’ 

Zelda treats him with a smile. “Maybe there is hope for us after all.”    


	2. And the Spelling of Our Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sidon is a literal mess and Mipha is so done with her baby brother

_ Flight from dreams, in this I wander _

_ For in each the spelling of our doom  _

_ The sea hoards the secrets within me, _

_ The tide rises, storm on its heels. _

_ Oh, do not say prophecy is beneath these words I breathe _

_ In each syllable you can feel the truth. _

_ The binding of fortunes, in saltwater we weep. _

 

 What is grace, she'd asked once when she was a young child. Her father's eyes had settled on her mother, expression soft and tender. Her mother, delicate, each movement soft as the wind.

 Grace was a good word, she decided then. Grace was her mother, guiding her to bed. Grace was the sun arcing over the ocean and the gulls crying.

 Mipha was born with a grace cradled in her chest. Soft and smooth, the feel of it was much like her mother's touch. Using it felt as if she were hung in the center of creation. A tug had her experiencing emotions she was not prepared to understand. A delicate shining line between her parents, connecting in gold.

  A touch healed, palms laid flat on flesh knit all wounds. A hand held gave the gravely dehydrated the strength to retain water.

 The first story a Zora heard in the womb was that of the homewaters they were driven from. Pure springs in which even the weakest could survive in. A city borne of crystal, home. Mipha always found herself pestering, because the word Domain felt lovely on the tongue and with each hand she held she knew her people were not thriving here, in this cold ocean.

It was later she found the words for the truth. Zora's bodies weren't meant for saltwater, one had to have the strength to repel the dehydration that seeped in if you were not careful. Saltwater was harsh, it stunted the growth, fewer and fewer children were born each year.

 Sidon was a miracle, a miracle their delicate delicate mother could not survive. Too much strength gone, the saltwater dried her body out little by little- no matter how long Mipha held her and, willed the grace into her body. 

"Mipha darling, one day you'll know what must be done. Just promise me dear heart you'll do what you must." Words Mipha could barely make out, over the squalling of her baby brother. Later, she wishes she paid more attention. Those words were her mother's last.

 

It started with murmurs, the dread. The overwhelming feeling she was reaching the crest of a wave she didn't want to fall from. 

Then the dreams that left her gasping in terror. Knowing that everything hinged on Mipha's ability to return her people to their home. Dreams that ended with blood, her baby brother's head rolling on the floor and wounds she could not heal.

 

"Father, I'm leaving." The steel in her voice surprised even her.

"But why Mipha?" Her Father's voice smooth, calm. In it she could hear the deepest depths of the ocean.

"We are dying here, I will not be complicit in our people's demise." Each word felt true.

"Mipha, if you leave here you give up everything. There is no throne waiting for you, there will be nothing for you to inherit. Are you sure?" The sorrow in her father's voice cut deep into her heart. But she had to.

Each step was prompted by the knowing.

"I will return when the Domain is once more ours. Farewell Father."

She hadn't expected Sidon's steps to follow hers. Sidon, the catalyst for this all. She hadn't foreseen a third of the guard following in her wake, nor the hundreds of civilians who followed them.

The King only prayed she succeeded. 

 

The encampment was largely deserted, the sun only just beginning to color the rainy haze grey. A few Zora stood guard, nodding at their prince as he strode through utilitarian structures. They have been here long enough to make things sturdy, but even after half a decade it felt like the place would blow away in the next bad storm.

"Mipha, Mipha- I've news!" He calls out, not much caring who heard him. Everyone was waiting for news, stuck in this standstill as they were. The last corner rounded, he barges into the room he knew his sister would be in.

  Maps scattered about the floor, pens and scraps of paper creeping out into the open. You could tell how long they'd been there by how wet they were. A lone figure standing in the midst of the chaos, head down.

"Mipha?"

"Sidon, what news do you bring?" Mipha asks quietly, voice oddly flat. She'd been crying.

A deep breath, Sidon struggles to gather his thoughts in a way that made at least a little sense.

"I've made contact with a Hylian Mipha. Finally. I do believe I managed to miss him this morning, but he did say he was fetching their princess. I'm apt to believe him."

"Wait, are you serious. So help me Hylia Sidon if you're kidding-" Mipha whips around, eyes too bright.

"He retook Lanayru. A single Hylian retook the tower." 

"Please tell me this isn't one of your pranks Sidon, it's really not the time for this."

"Mipha, I'm serious here! It really was quite the sight- he cut down the bokoblins like blades of grass. I'm fairly sure he was laughing too- ...I feel like I probably should have been a bit more hesitant to approach him in hindsight."

A deep sigh, "What did you do this time Sidon?" Mipha's voice is flat, unsurprised. Somehow her brother managed to waltz his way through life with a lot of very near misses. How he did such a thing, she didn't think even Hylia herself knew. 

"Well, I might have startled him a little bit." At his sister's raised eyebrow he quickly revises. "Well, I startled him. He drew his blade- Don't worry! He didn't wave it at me or anything. It really was quite an amazing blade, excellent craftsmanship. Hard to see through all the blood though. He was just up there for hours and hours and I really did feel it urgent to speak with him before he moved on. It just now occured to me that it very possibly could have ended badly."

Mipha presses her hands to her head. "Sidon, what am I going to do with you? At least you understand where you went wrong, somewhat. Now, I've gathered that it's most likely a curse surrounding our lands and us. And your encounter with the Hylian confirms it for the most part."

 "What do you need further confirmed, because I'm going to go on a limb here and say he's the most talented warrior I've ever encountered. And his name is Link, he's the Hylian Princess's personal Champion." 

 Mipha sighs again. Even deeper this time. "So, what you're attempting to tell me is this man is more talented than any of our people."

"Well, I did believe I made that thought clear. We could probably see if he's up to being challenged to a duel once he arrives with the Hylian Princess. I'm sure he'll be willing- he seems to quite enjoy fighting. It was a joy to watch him."

"Yes, and this is the Hylian that you saw fit to creep up behind." Mipha is very close to climbing up the nearest stool so she can throttle her idiot brother.

 "...Okay, I do see your point. We're under a curse and perhaps outside interference can break it." Sidon backs away slowly from his sister, clearly recognizing when too much prodding was too much prodding. He had some self preservation after all, and after practically having been raised by her Mipha's moods were as obvious as the weather tomorrow. 

  Which of course, was going to be rain.

Mipha squints after her brother, and in shock sees the faintest glimmer of gold.

 

"Oh good Hylia..." Zelda stood gaping at the tower that had captured Link's attention a few days earlier. Her feet are already moving up the path leading up the cliffside. 

 Link couldn't blame her really, it was the sort of structure that persuaded gently that the view from the top was worthy of the climb. Which also leads Link to ponder the question, when were you allowed to call a hill a mountain, because whatever it was that this tower was situated on was somewhere between those two words and he couldn't quite figure out where exactly it sat. 

  At least with the tower in sight Zelda wasn't complaining about being soaked anymore, though Impa kept shooting Link looks that made it clear that she was really not enjoying this state of affairs. 

 It also didn't mean Zelda wasn't complaining about the ascent the entire way up, but then she'd glance over and her eyes would catch on a rune and and complaints died on her tongue. Link really didn't blame her, internally he was also full of complaints and it was generally a good thing when Zelda was able to let her guard down enough to complain about petty things. 

"How was something like this ever lost? I feel like you ought to be able to see it from miles." Mostly dry now, Zelda is standing as close to the edge as she dares, peering down into the clouds hanging below. "I'm fairly sure if this weren't built on higher ground we'd be in the middle of those. The air is just so thin up here."

 Impa coughs into her hand, grabbing Zelda's attention once more. "Your Highness, the material the tower is built from is reflective enough to act like a mirror. And some of the runes you were studying denote secrecy. You would have to consult Purah to confirm however." 

 "Of course! That makes perfect sense, in combination with runes all you'd see is a reflection of whatever was surrounding the tower- in this case sky. Now I'm simply curious why and when it was built. It's quite remarkable."

"If it helps you at all, this tower has been here for countless centuries. It has a place in the oldest of our records." A new voice joins in, prompting the instant rearranging of bodies and drawn swords.

Link stows his away first, not recognizing the Zora woman but knowing enough to realize there was no threat in her presence. She had the same regal air Sidon carried, and having been around royalty for most of his life Link hoped by now he could identify future monarchs at a glance.

"Are all Hylians so fascinated with high spaces, or is it simply you and your Champion, Princess?" The Zora smiles gently, hinting at humor. Each step forward is deliberate, and Link finds himself wondering if it was just something the Zora were taught when they learned to walk. Each step carefully placed without so much as a look. (He understands he fixates on strange things, he just was past the point of caring.)

 "It's not so much the proximity to the ground, more of the promises in the tower itself." Zelda replies. She takes most things in stride- an unexpected visit with a Zora royal should have been expected. 

"Pardon the entrance, I am Mipha. My younger brother Sidon told me he encountered your Champion here, so I thought to meet you when you made it here." Mipha, okay now Link could draw connections between her and the enthusiastic Zora prince he'd encountered in much the same way. 

  "I am Zelda, these are my guards Mik, Dalia and Toma. And my attendant Impa. You already know of my Champion Link." Zelda replies. 

How she handled it all without so much as a blink Link will never understand. Perhaps it was just like a blade in his hand. Because he knew she remembered too.

 

 "Link! It is good to see you again!" The proximity of the voice to his ear has him flinching.

'It's nice to see you too- Must you sneak up on me though?" Link shoots a glare back at Sidon who immediately backs up a couple of steps.

"I apologize, well I was actually going to apologize for startling you to begin with but I suppose it's already a habit unfortunately." 

Link was attempting to soak in a bit of the quiet, before whatever had prompted the two princesses to go off into their own corner with furious whispers made its way to Link. Generally that is how things worked, Zelda made plans and Link was swept into them without much say. 

'Just, I don't know. Approach from the front?' 

"That... Had actually not occurred to me. I will try to remember this for the future. Would you believe me if I told y0u Mipha had just finished scolding me over this, and then she turns around and does the same thing." Sidon plops down beside him, along the edge of the tower looking downward.

 'Wait are you serious?' Link peers up at Sidon, trying to figure out if he was actually serious or not. From the little he knew of the Zora he couldn't really imagine anyone scolding him. How do you effectively scold someone who towers over the majority of people, it doesn't quite seem to work out.

"Completely. Unfortunately. Most of the lectures involved not sneaking up on people with large swords. I have the unfortunate tendency to get a bit ahead of myself at times. So I do apologize if my actions have been a bit over the top." Sidon has the grace to sound at least a little sheepish.

 Link attempts to keep a smile from his lips, but fails. 'It's okay.'

"You know, I was thinking and I realized that you don't really talk much do you?"

Link resists the urge to sign no shit. 'Oh really?' He hopes at least a bit of the sarcasm makes its way into Sidon's brain. The Zora man seems like the sort to appreciate some well placed sarcasm, if Link was any judge of things.

"Well, yes. Also I was wondering, would you be willing to duel one of the guards? I was wanting to prove a point to my sister-" Sidon pauses when Link rises, hand on his sword. "Oh okay, well excellent! I'll go find Bazz!"

 

  Mipha and Zelda pause their conversation at the sheer lack of commotion surrounding them. Where they had been surrounded by Zora and Zelda's guards before, now only Impa remained. She had the distinct air of disapproval surrounding her as well. 

 "Oh no." The words leave Mipha and Zelda's lips at the same time as they go rushing down the stairs. 

"I swear to Hylia if this is Sidon again I will actually throttle him this time..." Mipha mutters under her breath.

"Wait- what is wrong with Sidon? He seems perfectly nice." Zelda replies, clueless to the situation. 

"Having practically raised him I will actually disagree. I dread some of the ideas he comes up with. Did you know he managed to get himself eaten, EATEN by an octorok. Then he proceeded to stab his way from it. It nearly gave me a heart attack!" 

Zelda can't help it, she starts to snicker. It reminds her of some of the situations Link has had to pull her out of by her hair. 

"Its just, I feel responsible for him. My brother is  so careless, my mother died soon after his birth. I honestly do not know what I would do without him." 

"Rest assured, Link won't let him die." Zelda struggles to keep her voice under control, insanely curious to just what everyone else was getting up to. 

 The answer was in front of the tower, where two dozen guards had emerged from who knows where and were arranged in a circle, Link and another Zora circling within. 

  "Oh dear." Zelda's voice is very quiet for a moment, not so much for fear of whatever might happen to her Champion but the strain his actions might have on the new, delicate relations between the Hylians and Zora.

  "So. He actually did it." Mipha mutters. "You see, Sidon was saying he was going to see if Link would be willing to duel some of our warriors."

"Please do tell me you have healers on hand." The choked sound of Zelda's voice has Mipha looking at her, puzzled.

"Please do not worry, I can heal whatever wounds Link sustains-" Mipha cuts off at the frantic shaking of Zelda's head.

 At that moment Zelda's worries were proven. With viper like speed Link had the circling Zora flat on the ground, weapon just out of reach. The crowd surrounding the two was silent with shock, except for Sidon who was cheering.

 "Oh wow." Mipha now sees what exactly her brother was trying to convey to her, and the real reason for Zelda's worry.

 To both of their relief the guard makes his way back to his feet with a groan. 

"At least Bazz isn't hurt too badly it seems." Mipha just watches the same treatment repeat itself to two more from her guard, none of them quite believing what just happened because how could one so small have so much power?

The entire spectacle stops with Zelda. "Link! Please do stop this nonsense now before you actually hurt someone!" 

Link shrugs off the next would be opposite and ducks his way through the crowd. 'It's just dueling, I'm not actually going to hurt anyone.'

"Are you used to dueling Zora though?" Zelda mutters through gritted teeth.

'Now I am.' 

Mipha suddenly has a lot more sympathy for Zelda.

"Link, back to business please. I was speaking with Mipha and we are going to attempt to help them retake their Domain. It seems like there is a curse of some sort placed- thankfully that shouldn't be too much of a problem with the Master sword in your possession but frankly I'm not sure how we are going to pull this off with just the four of you warriors." 

 'Explosives.' Link signs, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh... Okay I can actually see where that might work, and given how wet it is they shouldn't actually lead to fires." Zelda trails off, mind working quickly to piece together fragments of information. "So as you were telling me, none of your people can get a hit in correct?"

"That is correct." Mipha replies. 

"Hmm. It's probably a long shot but it's worth a try." Zelda smiles brightly, hair sticking to her forehead from the downpour.

"Now, if I may. What exactly is the Master sword, you've mentioned it multiple times but I'm still unclear as to what makes it special." Mipha asks, Link's sword was indeed beautiful but at the same time, how could a blade be more than a blade?

 "Its ancient, forged to seal away darkness. I'm simply assuming since curses are also a form of darkness it would be equally efficient in destroying them."

 "What is this darkness you speak of?" Mipha asks faintly, as if she's seen a ghost or some echo she didn't want to believe.

"Ganon. The darkness is Ganon. We've reason to believe his next coming is soon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who's left comments!   
>  Sidon has a Lot of growing up to do, and Link is morally and physically incapable of turning down the chance to duel at this time okay.  
> I hope you enjoy! Also if you ever want extremely vague spoilers my tumblr is unfortunately the place to find them.


	3. For Now, These Curses Falter

 "Link, do you think we ought to get Urbosa involved?" Zelda whispers.

Link shrugs, 'If you could get me a paraglider I could like... Glide down from the tower straight to the city and drop bombs all along the way.'

Zelda looks at Link sharply, "Wait are you serious? Because that might give us at least a bit of an edge. Mipha seems to be under the impression that the curse is centered in the city, the further they've tried to push into the domain the worse it's been."

  'Explosives delivered via air. Perfect plan.' Link cracks a slight smile, the idea of it all pleased him to no end, ridiculous as it sounded.

"I wonder if the curse the Zora are under extends to their aim, because well placed bombs in a moblin camp can be devastating." Zelda muses.

'If they are able to get in and out unseen I don't see why it wouldn't work? But the real question, how infested are the lands?' Because generally, a person likes to know what exactly they're getting themselves into. And Link may be reckless, but he wasn't stupid.

  "...Good question. I'll ask Mipha." Zelda scurries away, leaving Link alone. 

    He had about a minute to find a hiding spot before Sidon descended upon him. Link unfortunately knew this from experience. Not that he really minded per say, it was more of the fact that too many words bubbling around him tied his stomach up in knots, especially if those words were directed at him.

And the past few days had been entirely too full of words directed at him. 

He manages to wedge himself into the tower, on a ledge that made him fairly invisible from the ground. Link takes this moment to simply breathe and attempt to untangle everything again. Sometimes he despised the role he was forced into. Was there ever really a choice? If he ever had the chance he'd ask his past selves this very question.

 

 "It looks like the monsters are most concentrated at half a mile into the Domain, however populations decline after about a mile in." Mipha says, reading through the various hastily written reports.

  They'd spent the last week and a half scouting and dealing with small groups of monsters, gathering what information they could. Which largely involved Link sneaking bombs into camps then setting them off from a safe distance so the Zora scouts could go further in unhindered. It was surprisingly effective, till they hit groups of Wizzrobes who dealt with electricity. At that point Link had put his foot down and refused to allow any of the Zora to go any further. 

  Electricity was something he was more prepared to deal with. Even if it was picking them off one by one, attempting to get even a little further into the Domain. 

 Zelda nods, "The curse seems to be centered in the city, correct?" 

"Yes, I've been watching the area around and there is no movement." Mipha sighs and puts the parchment aside. "And the paraglider is ready, going off the instructions you gave. What an interesting contraption."

 "It's quite interesting isn't it? It takes quite a bit of strength of arm to use effectively though. Not so much a problem for Link, but I personally can't stay on one for very long." Zelda replies, face lighting up for a moment. She was always like this, with interesting contraptions. 

"You still haven't said what you wanted it for." Its Sidon this time that butts in, always so curious.

"Oh, Link was just going to glide from the top of Lanayru to a point closer to the city." Zelda says it like it was nothing. It was only the reactions of everyone else that brought to her mind that the entire plan was a little absurd.

  "So. He's just going to glide right on in now?" Impa cackles, "Doesn't that seem too easy?"

"Well, that's why we were trying to establish exactly where the highest concentrations of monsters were. So he could avoid them." Zelda manages to keep the majority of the sulk from her voice. Link could still hear it around the edges of her words.

 'At least I'm not dropping bombs.' That's all the input he had. He'd rather be dropping bombs mind you, but there was only so much one could do with the hands while operating a paraglider. Especially considering how far he'd be riding it.

"Wait- what?" Sidon asks, clueless. Oh right, he hadn't heard of that particular plan that Zelda vetoed after about 2 seconds of actual critical thinking. 

Link proceeds to mime the entire ridiculous scenario, and even manages some sound effects that have Zelda giggling and Sidon mystified. He manages to embellish to the point that Zelda's giggling gives way to groans and Sidon's expression gets more and more excited. 

"Hylians are amazing! Could you really do such a thing Link!?" Mipha snickers behind a hand at her brother's words. Let Link string him on a bit more, it couldn't harm anything. If anything, it provided endless amusement. Her brother tended to be gullible to a fault when it came to people he admired. 

'Nope.' He signs it with such a straight face that both Mipha and Zelda loose it, and Sidon looks a tad hurt at their reactions. Link allows himself a small smile. 

 

"Link, when the threat is neutralized please do remember to set off the signal." Zelda is hunched over the contraption, obviously seeing something within it that Link couldn't guess at. "You'll just throw it on the ground as hard as possible, it'll cause the one I'll be carrying to glow and just. Please do not forget Link." The anxiety in her voice match's Link's own.

  Frankly, as much as he was looking forward to this all, excitement or whatever you'd like to call it. It wasn't like he was fearless. He just. Sort of went forward anyway. So he busies himself, checking to ensure all his supplies were strapped firmly to him, stowing away the contraption that Zelda hands him in a spot that he wouldn't lose it. Because he lost things, a lot. 

  And with that, he grabs the paraglider and prays to Hylia that somehow this will work out. He can feel everyone's eyes on him, and part of him delights in the gasps as he climbs up the barrier and jumps off Lanayru Tower. 

  He swears he can hear Sidon yelling something, but his paraglider unfurls and catches the wind with a jerk. And he was gone. 

  He understood why there weren't any monsters here now. He had had to descend much sooner than he planned, palms too sweaty to grip the handles effectively. He couldn't stand wearing gloves with a paraglider, he was convinced his grip would give out. He estimated he was fairly close to where he wanted to be, so it could have been worse. 

  It was like there was an invisible line drawn in the grass. As soon as you crossed it you were faced with a sense of despair. It wasn't comfortable, but for now it was bearable. Link's stomach rumbles, reminding him under no uncertain circumstances it wasn't happy with the fact that he hadn't eaten yet that day. So he forces himself to chew a small ration, and trudge on.

The city was silent save the steady drops of rain. Even now, hundreds of years after the fact the place told the story of a hasty departure- pots shattered in the water. Parts of him expected a moblin to round a corner, for the grand stairs to give way to arrows and water to erupt in movement that wasn't his. But it never came. 

  Link found himself going up, because whatever was emanating from that direction tore his heart in two. Maybe this is why the Zora left, the sadness that seeped into the waters that made it hard to breathe. Each step was heavy, it took all of his will to move one foot forward. 

 It took nearly an hour to climb the final staircase to what he assumed was the throne room. He couldn't see how it could be anything else, with the entire city sweeping up into it.

  Link didn't quite know what he was looking at. A figure, huge and covered with an ever moving ooze that Link tried not to think too hard about. Now really wasn't the time for hurling up what little he ate that morning. It writhed around limbs, pulsing and contracting and digging beneath flesh. Suddenly it seems to be aware of his presence, an eye forms and blinks owlishly at him.

  Frankly, he doesn't want to take another step towards the thing. Later, Link swears it was the Master sword that forced his hand, it was. Because otherwise he'd have lost the contents of his stomach long beforehand. He argues with feet that move forward, with hands that find the blade on his back and raise it. He argues with each step, but he knows there's no real fruit to the argument because he keeps moving forward, the blade raises and buries itself deep into ooze.

 The sound that follows is without a doubt the absolute worst noise that anyone has had the displeasure of having to listen to. A shriek that drug up emotions that were never meant to be named, a loud echoing thing that left Link's ears ringing even as the surging mass melts away. 

 The quizieness quickly turns into absolute horror the moment the figure was actually visible. 

"Has someone finally come to free me?" The Great Fairy asks, the weight of eons in her voice and eyes heavy. Slowly, she tucks a bare bruised leg against her chest. She was covered in bruises, and her blood stained the blue floor crimson.

For the first time in years he's able to force his way through the silence, perhaps it was the understanding that this woman had gone through more than enough. 

"Yes." Link doesn't recognize his voice, he supposes it's a sad way to exist. 

With his words her eyes finally seem to register him, and she raises her head with a wince. "I know you... Oh Champion of Light what are you doing in this cursed place?" 

"Free." Link feels the silence surge up once again, the familiar feeling of it choking up his vocal chords. It was much like drowning, or how drowning must feel like anyway. 

 She sighs, "Come, give me your hand Link." She places a hand on the floor, and Link takes the invitation and lays a hand on top of a giant finger. "Ah... I see now. I'm so sorry Link, we were friends in another life. I can tell you do not have much longer. You know what is coming. I fear... I fear he took hold of me, which is why I am here. Now please, Link. Kill me. Its the only path to freedom for the likes of me." 

   The fairy stands, only now are the bindings around her ankles visible. The source of the blood made clear, even as wounds heal more are created. "Cut the bindings. That will break the curse, please Link. I am begging you." Desperation colored each word, and suddenly Link is struck with the question, how long has she been here? Living in torment? The answer lies in the sudden surge of hopeful despair, and suddenly he understands. This all was from her, the despair- everything. It all lead back to her. 

   So there really was no choice to this, he drives his sword through each binding. This causes her to scream in pain that sends him reeling from the aftershock. Finally, finally the Great Fairy collapses to the ground with a thud. Eyes closing, he can hardly make out her words. "Thank you... Link." A single tear hits the floor before her body dissolves in light. 

  Link is left there staring, attempting to process the sudden lightness in the air that had given way as soon as she was gone. Was there significance to a Great Fairy's final tear? It felt like it should be. He forces his feet to move, to turn his back on the stained crystal and to the sun. Sun, which has him blinking and covering his eyes. 

    Another life, how many has he lived? The crystal practically sparkles under the light. His fingers twitch, and he can't fight the nausea anymore. Not after that, even though the air feels lighter his heart feels so much more heavy. You didn't kill Great Fairies. 

  You didn't kill them. But the writhing mass keeps replaying in his mind, and he can't get over what she must have gone through. As an afterthought he throws Zelda's contraption on the ground, venting his frustration and disgust into a single action. It shatters.

  
  


  Its later, when Zelda, Mipha and Sidon finally make their way towards the city that Link realizes it's finally stopped raining. He hadn't noticed, not really. No, he'd been too busy emptying his stomach and attempting to rein in emotions he wasn't ready to feel.

    They'd had no problems with what remained of the monsters after Link's bombs. What was slightly concerning was the sheer lack of them once you crossed a certain point. They were crossing the final bridge leading to the city, and really. None of them could quite grasp the beauty in what they were seeing. 

  "Oh dear Hylia." Mipha is quiet, her voice slightly choked.

Sidon was rather similarly affected, and Zelda even now was wondering how anyone might make such a thing. Centuries of disuse and you really couldn't tell. It looked like everything had been finished last week. 

 The first thing she notices though is Link's face. Much too pale, and that was a classic tell for him. Mipha is crying though, not that Zelda can blame her- not after this all. Not after finally reaching the goal she'd been working towards for so long. But still, something had happened. 

 It takes a couple of minutes before Mipha composes herself enough to speak. "Link, I'm assuming you broke whatever curse was here. And I thank you, my people thank you. We will do all we can do to assist you- now we can rebuild what we once had. Might I ask however, what is it that you found?"

 'A Great Fairy. She was cursed.' His hands hesitate, 'Ganon.'

Zelda bites down on a swear, it wasn't befitting of her station. Mipha and Sidon simply stare, not quite understanding what Link was saying. 

"What do your people know of Ganon, Mipha?" Zelda asks.

"Not much, only that he has attempted to destroy world." Its Sidon who answers for his sister.

"Ah. I won't trouble you with it now. Get your people settled, I have to return to my father." Before it is too late, she doesn't say that part though. She was too busy trying to understand the significance of what Link had said. Ganon had been powerful enough to curse a Great Fairy centuries ago. 

  So really, it wasn't a matter of that Ganon was coming. It was how soon the coming would be.

 

"We should send a messenger to Father." Sidon is the one who suggests it, the Zora as a whole were rather overwhelmed. People scurried around, bringing in supplies- claiming respective homes. Mipha and Sidon stood in the palace, where Link had said the Great Fairy had stood.

  The blood was still pooled on the floor. They had tried to rinse it away but it had stained the stone beneath.

"I suppose you're right. I still cannot believe it. We actually did it Sidon. I'm... Not sure what to do with myself at this point." Mipha is quiet, reflective.

"We help the Hylians with whatever threat their princess is so concerned about." Sidon replies matter of fact, voice unbelievably smug.

 "You just want to talk to the Champion again. Don't pretend otherwise Sidon." Mipha finally finds her humor again, it was fairly ridiculous how her brother had kept going after the poor man every time he had the opportunity, pestering with questions and stories. The faint glimmer of gold bothered her, like there was an almost something that she couldn't begin to understand. 

 "What would you like me to tell you? He's interesting." Sidon deflates somewhat.

Mipha laughs and shakes her head. Maybe someday she'd understand this all, there was a point though where you had to leave things be. And frankly, there was too much to be doing now to worry about it. 

 

 “The curse, what exactly was it Link?” Zelda asks over the fire that night. She’d noticed the difference in him, in his actions.

‘She projected her pain.’ He keeps it short.

“You felt her die. Didn’t you?” Zelda replies after a minute of thought, horror dawning on the realization of what it must have been like.

  Link simply nods, and goes back to his food. Ever the glutton, she wouldn’t bother him over it now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for your feedback and patience! My life has been a lil stressful lately, thus this taking a bit longer to get out.   
> Also if you're curious the one song I associate super strongly with this fic is Ride Into Obsession by Blind Guardian (It fits okay)  
> I meant this to be longer but it feels done now so like, i'm not gonna get torn up over it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey thank you for reading this! I have a general idea of where this is going, but you know how stories tend to run from you when you give them the chance?  
> Anyway, I'll aim to keep updates about once every two weeks or so. My aim is for longer chapters than this first one. There is a lot of ground to cover.  
> Feel free to pester me (here or on my tumblr spiraloforigins)


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